Car-starter



(No Model.)

C. W. STIPF. UAR STARTER..

No. 251,386. Patented Deo. 27,1881.

N PETERS. Pmu-mlwgmpner. wmngwn. Dv C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES W. STIFF, OF FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,386, dated December 2'?, 1881.

' Application filed October 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES WYER STIFF, a citizen of the United States,residin at Foxborough, in thc county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Gar-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices attached to street-cars, railway-cars, Sac.; and it consists in a system of levers adapted to be connected to and disconnected from` the wheels, so that when the horse, engine, or other motive power is first started the wheels will be actedV upon to revolve them a short distance and assist in overcomin g the inertia ofthe car, Svc., as hereinafter set forth;

In the drawings I illustrate the mechanism by which the above objects are attained, Figure l being a sectional side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, and Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view, of the truck and bottom frame-work ot' an ordinary street-car with my improvements attached thereto. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the rim of one ofthe wheels and its operating-levers. Fig. 5 is a front view of the levers for throwing the pulling-levers into gear with the wheels. Fig. 6 is a front view, Fig. 7 is a plan view, and Fig. v8 is a cross-sectional view, enlarged, of the lower end of one of the pulling-levers, showing one method of arranging it, while Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the same with the parts disconnected.

A A2 are the front wheels, AiA* are the rear wheels, B B2 are the axles, C is the main frame-work of the bottom of the car, and (J2 the platform-frame, all arranged in the ordinary manner of a street-car, which I have used for the purpose of illustrating the manner of applying my invention.-

D is the draw-bar, to which the horses are attached, and runs back through the crosstimbers of the frame C and ends in a long cross-bar, E, through which it is bolted. The bar E is arranged to rest through hangers a a2, attached to the lower side ofthe frame C', and the draw-bar is surrounded, between the cross-bar E and the end timber, C3, of the frame C', by a coiled spring, b, so that by pull` ing upon the draw-har D the cross-bar E will be drawn along the hangers a a2 and the' spring compressed against the cross-timber C3, and then whcn the power is removed the spring will return the cross-bar to its original position. By this means an ordinary springdrawbar is produced.

c c are small hook-shaped lugs formed upon theinner surfaces ofthe rims of the rear wheels, A3 A, and opposite to which small levers d d2 are pivoted in the frame C', and connected at their tops by rods G G2 to the ends of the cross-bar E, as shown.

H' H2 are two long levers, pivotcd at c' c2 to the frame C', and with their rear ends curved and bent, as lshown at g g2, upward and outward, to bring them opposite to the levers d d2, so that by forcing the forward ends, h h2, toward each other the bent ends g g2 will he forced outward and throw.thelevers d l2 in contact with the lugs c. The levers d d2 will be supplied with springs' to throw them inward, and hold them from contact with the lugs, except when thrown outward by the levers H' H2. By this means the pulling of the draw-bar forward will not aect the starting mechanism, which is only operative when the levers H H2 throw thc levers d d2 into gear with the lugs c.

Many methods may be used to draw the ends h h2 of the levers H H2 toward each other, but I have shown but one-viz., a double-acting lever, K, and rods 'i' ft2, (see Fig. 5;)-but any other suitable methodmay be employed.

The operation of the starter is as follows: Nhen the car is ready to be started the operator throws the lever K over, forcing the levers d d2 outward in contact with the rims of the wh'ecls A3 A4 and behind two of the lugs c, (one on each wheeh) and then, when the power is applied to the draw-bar, the levers d' d2, acting upon the lugs c, will revolve the wheels and assist greatly in overcoming the inertia. Just as soon as the operator feels the car begin to move he releases the lever K and returns the levers H H2 to their former position; but the levers d d?, having been drawn in behind the hooks on the lugs c, will be held in contact therewith, but will not press outward upon the wheels,by reason oftheirsprings holding them inward. By the time the strokes of the levers d d2 are completed the car will have made such headway that the wheels will travel faster than the levers d d2. Hence the lugs c will leave them and permit their springs to throw them inward, so that they will not be struck by the neXt set of lugs.

By this arrangement a car-starter will be produced that may be utilized as an ordinary spring draw-bar, and then by al simple turn ot' a lever, K, the outer rims of the wheels may be connected to the draw-bar and a car-starter formed. Y

By forming the lugs cin the hooked form it is not necessary to hold the levers d d? in contact with the lugs or wheels, as the lugs themselves hold the levers as long as the necessity for it remains, thus avoiding the constant outward pressure which would be necessary if the lugs had no hooks upon them. In Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 is shown one method of arranging the levers d d2, which require both a lateral and a forward and backward motion. A large plate, m', is pivoted in a V-shaped cavity, n', in the frame C', and into the face of this an angular notch or cavity, m2, is cut, and adapted to receive the lower rounded end of one of the levers, d or cl2. The same bolt, t', which holds the plate fm also passes through the lower end of the lever d or d2, and is secured therein by a. pin, t2, passing through it, and a collar, t3, on the lever d' or d2. The hole through the collar d3 and the lever d or d2, through which the bolt t passes, is elongated up and down, so that the lever has the necessary outward and inward play to enable it to be thrown outward and inward by the levers H H2, while at the same time the pin t2 holds it attached to the bolt t. Springs m3 connect the levers d cl2 with the disks m', so that they will be held inward from contact with the wheels AS A4 when not thrown out by the levers H H2. By this arrangement a broad bearing-surface for the movement of the levers d d2 is produced and much unnecessary friction avoided, while at the same time all the required movements are obtained.

This invention may also be applied to trucks or wagons for hauling heavy loads, and may be attached to either the forward or rear wheels, or both, or arranged to operate from both ends.

What I claim as new isl. Acar-wheel provided with hook-shaped lugs c, in combination with a lever,` df, and mea-ns for throwing said lever behind the lug and also in from the wheel as soon as the lug passes from the lever, the said lever being drawn forward by the power moving the car, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of the wheels A3 A, having the hooked lugs c, the levers d d2 H H2, and draw-bar D E, and connecting-rods G G2, substantially as set forth.

3. The plate m', frame Cf, bolt t', spring m3, and pin t2, in combination with the levers d or d2, and wheels A3 or A, having the lugs c, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof' I have hereunto setV my hand in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

-CHARLES YVYER STIFF.

Witnesses:

C. N. WooDwARD, LoUrs FEnsER, Sr. 

